Montreal elementary students to sing national anthem at Canadian Grand Prix

A group of elementary school students from Montreal’s west end perform live at the Canadian Grand Prix opening.

A group of elementary school students from Montreal’s west end will have their voices heard by hundreds of thousands this weekend — live at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Willingdon Elementary School choir will perform “O Canada” at the start of Sunday’s Formula 1 race on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, in front of an international crowd and millions more watching on television.

“It’s a little nerve-racking, but also really, really exciting,” said Morgana Grindlay, a Grade 6 student in the choir. “I’ve ever done anything this big before.”

The performance will mark one of the biggest appearances yet for the school’s music program, which has grown under the leadership of longtime teacher Nick Batzios.

He’s taught music at the English Montreal School Board school for 27 years and says this moment represents more than just a musical milestone.

“I reached out to the people at Formula 1 and presented what we have to offer,” said Batzios. “They eventually got back to us and said, ‘We’d love to have you.’ It was incredible news to bring back to the students.”

Batzios is known at the school not just for teaching music, but for giving his students opportunities to shine on big stages. In 2022, his choir performed at the Bell Centre before a Montreal Canadiens game. But the F1 event, he says, is something entirely different.

“It combines two of my passions: music and fast cars,” he said. “But more than that, it’s my hope that the students take this experience and run with it. That they keep pursuing their dreams, and never give up on them.”

For many of the young performers, the news is still sinking in.

“It makes me feel excited, and honestly, really lucky,” said 12-year-old Madeleine Rondeau. “When I first found out, I didn’t realize just how many people would hear us.”

As many as 350,000 spectators are expected to attend the Canadian Grand Prix over the weekend, making it one of the largest sporting events in the country. It also reaches a global audience on television, with millions tuning in from around the world.

That’s a lot of eyes and ears for a group of students used to singing in a classroom. For Grindlay, just joining the group was already a leap of courage.

“I was nervous about joining the choir at first,” admitted the student. “But I’m really glad I did because we have so much fun singing together.”

After taking that first step herself, she encourages others to do the same.

“If anyone out there is scared to try something new, I’d say just go for it,” said Grindlay. “Don’t be afraid of the worse, instead, enjoy the experience and live it to the fullest.”

Batzios said encouraging students to step out of their comfort zones is a key part of his role as an educator.

“It’s about building confidence and showing kids what they’re capable of,” he said.

When asked where they’d love to perform one day, the students didn’t hesitate.

“The Super Bowl,” said Michaïla Borden, flashing a grin.

“For me, the Bell Centre, because I really like hockey,” said Evelyn Chan.

While those dreams may seem far away, Batzios believes Sunday’s anthem is proof that anything’s possible.

“It all started with an email,” he said. “Now look where we are.”

With just days left before race day, the Willingdon choir is still hard at work rehearsing.

Their goal: to make sure every note lands, and, more importantly, have fun.